Recipe For Sasha’s Pasta

I love cooking with my niece Sasha. Mostly because she is so enthusiastic in the kitchen, but also because it happens so infrequently. I go up to Johannesburg about twice a year and try and spend as much time with her as possible. She is nearly 5 and it is becoming a pleasure to spend time with her, playing ‘hide and go seek’, drawing, being outside at the playground and going out for ice cream.This visit we made cupcakes (from a box) and I burnt myself on my sister’s oven – this was a first for me. Sasha and I then made supper, she however was not interested in eating it. Sasha got to stay up late and have a grown up meal with Aunty Tandy and Grandpa. Kerry (my sister) tells me that Sasha thinks my name is Aunty Tandy and not just Tandy but what ever she thinks, I just love the yelling of AUNTY TANDY when she is supposed to be quietly in bed, or when she sees me driving up, or when she has had enough of me giving attention to the sister (her baby sister Nadia). She is the reason for the cookbook I am going to write this December, in collaboration with who ever wants to contribute.

Sasha’s Pasta

There is no exact recipe for this but basically we took some broccoli, sundried tomatoes, soft feta, marinated artichoke hearts and exotic mushrooms. The broccoli stalks were cooked with the mushrooms which we sliced (read Sasha sliced everything with a normal eating knife). The cooked ingredients were added to the other ingredients which were also sliced. This was topped with cooked pasta and several portions per person were eaten and enjoyed.

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Published by Tandy

I am passionate about using regional, seasonable and sustainable produce when I cook. I live in Gordons Bay with my husband and dogs. Dave and I are busy building a house which is an adventure all in itself. Each year we visit a new place overseas to experience the food of the area. Follow along on our adventures!
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There is nothing more fun or rewarding that cooking with little one. Typically the first thing my 4 1/2 year old grandson says when he visits is “what shall we make today?” He too would rather cook many of the dishes than eat them, but it’s a start! Thanks for sharing the story and the pasta with Presto Pasta Nights.

When my daughter was little I could not get her interested in being in the kitchen with me!! Thankfully now she’s grown she loves to cook, but I would have loved to have had those memories of her when she was younger. I know she’d love this pasta and so will I!

When my daughter was little I could not get her into the kitchen with me at all! Thankfully she grew up to love cooking but I so wish I could have had those special memories. That pasta dish is definitely something she’d enjoy and me too!

Hi Tandy–i am sure you are going to miss your little niece, i have 2 nieces aged 30months and a year & i see them at least 3 times a week. The elder ones name is Meela and yes she loves to cook and bake & oh yes–she tells me “remember usha masi (masi means mothers sister) like this not like that.
It is such a wonderful feeling being able to spend time with your nieces and nephews. Lovely post Tandy